By The Numbers

Pencils, paint brushes, and markers

Boise’s nationally-recognized Department of Arts and History has worked to deliver high community impact with a relatively modest public investment. Here’s a look at the numbers.

1 cent Of every City of Boise general fund tax dollar is dedicated to Department of Arts & History budget
15 Full-time and part-time A&H employees
1.4% of all City Capital dollars reserved for Art

A&H programming puts hundreds of artists, construction workers, contractors & vendors to work and yields partnerships across the city.

$7,125,150 Estimated value of City’s art collection
$2,200,000 Dollars of City funding via Percent for Art has shaped our city’s look and feel
$1,200,000 Value of Public Art projects in process
$ 1,809,112 Dollars awarded through the A&H Grant Fund since 1997

A&H’s local focus allows residents to learn about and help shape the design of their community, while honoring and preserving cultural heritage.

2,044 Documents and objects saved to date and collected
1,600 Full-time jobs supported in Boise in the non-profit arts and culture sector worth $50,000,000
934 Artworks in City-owned collections
558 A&H Grant Fund approved since 1997
400 Site-based public art installations
335 Number of Artists represented
312 Oral history interviews conducted and transcribed since 2009
123 Individuals and organizations honored with the Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & History for their outstanding contributions since 1986
60+ Local contractors/fabricators/vendors hired in FY2021
33 Research requests fulfilled in FY2021
16 Artists employed in FY2021
4 Number of Out-of-State Artists represented
3 Exhibits produced in FY2021
Implemented a citywide Collections Policy in FY16, ensuring Boise’s arts and history is saved for future citizens.
Unveiled a citywide Cultural Master Plan in FY17 with details on how to foster Boise’s art and cultural future.
The City of Boise purchased the James Castle House in 2015. After almost a century of residential use, the house opened to the public in 2018 and is today a center for contemporary and historical exhibits, tours, performances, talks, an Artist-in-Residence program, and community partnerships. The James Castle House is managed and staffed by the Boise City Department of Arts & History as part of its Cultural Sites program.